Like it or not, season 26 of The Voice is on the way.
Yes, there are some who feel the show has had it’s time and should be canceled. And yet, there’s still such a fan base for the show, it’s been renewed for two more seasons. (Season 27 is already in the works!)
But how will NBC keep the intrigue alive? How will The Voice solider on as the format starts to feel a bit … tired.
Why, by changing the format of course! Oh, do we have some spoilers for you!
‘The Voice’ Season 26 Will Premiere On NBC Fall 2024
The Season 26 premiere of The Voice on Monday, September 23 at 8 p.m on NBC.
Then, the show will have its Tuesday premiere the following week, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 at 8 p.m., with two episodes airing each week.
The premiere of the live episodes is TBD – it honestly will depend on how long it takes the judges to land on a top 12. Some years are faster than others.
Meet The Season 26 Coaches: Welcome Back, Gwen!
Let’s get real: people don’t come to The Voice for the contestants. To be frank, if anyone can name more than 3 winners of the show in the last 26 seasons, we’d be shocked.
Having said that, the real draw that keeps viewers coming back year after the year is the coaching lineup revolving door. For season 26, the panel is split down the middle with two newbies and two vets.
First, the newcomers: Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé will be making their debut this season. After a country heavy panel in season 25, the producers decided to pull a full 180 and put together perhaps the most diverse genre coach’s table of all time.
Sitting in the other two chairs will be Reba McEntire (told ya she wasn’t leaving!) and the return of Gwen Stefani. Will it be odd to see her there without hubby Blake Shelton? Yes.
Are we thrilled she’ll be back all the same? Absolutely!
A New “Twist”: Producer Drops Some Early Spoilers
Much about the show is kept hush-hush for fear of spoiling the adventure for fans.
However, showrunner Audrey Morrissey teased before the start of the season that a new format could be implemented in Season 26 to spice things up.
“I’m always trying to think about what would be a good thing to add to the engine of the show?” she explained to the audience at the NBC FYC Emmy campaign panel for the show in May.
“What are the new twists that aren’t just interesting but that feel really germane and make sense for the show? We’re constantly thinking about that return on investment.”
For example, Morrissey teased that they’re contemplating a whole new Round for Season 26. “Much like how we rotate the Chairs to just keep a fresh dynamic, you want that for Rounds to keep that fresh. So we might be moving Rounds.”
Interesting, but will it be enough to make the game feel fresh? Time will tell.
‘The Voice’ Will Continue With Season 27
Despite calls for it’s cancellation, The Voice was renewed for an additional season along with season 26.
When the show returns in 2025, the panel will look entirely different.
John Legend, Michael Bublé, Kelsea Ballerini, and OG coach Adam Levine are slated to fill out the coaches panel for season 27.
“Team Adam is back,” Levine wrote on Instagram when he made his official announdement. He then added:
“I feel bad for the other teams.”